Last year,
everything was re-defined. And it keeps getting re-defined daily.
The World;
While
trying to survive through social isolation, I recently thought about the
“natural” isolation of us; musicians, again for some time now.
While every
aspect of life keeps changing constantly; we don’t really notice that the arts
and especially music have taken more space in our lives; more and more every day.
Alas, the consciousness of the society which relates to all kinds of creative
folk, seems to be making very little progress.
Even though
the arts are initially a higher subject in their own nature; whether its
painting or music or novels and poetry and so forth; this does not turn me into
a higher person just because I’m living as an artist. And considering a
musician, without having some kind of fame as “unvalued”, is equally wrong and
a dangerous thought in my opinion.
Although I’m
a believer of this quote from Stanislavski:
“Love the
Arts within You; not yourself within the Arts”*,
I’d like to
keep this intricate matter for later.
What I’d
like to talk about today is something different. It’s called The Musician’s
Loneliness and the future of digitalized sounds and music – especially human
voice – under this title.
At first
sight, it seems obvious. Technology can be ruthless as it is accessible. As
long as the usage of Auto-tune like applications grows more common every day, training
human voices might get harder and harder in the upcoming years. The new
generation of voice students will be (and are) able to manipulate their voices
easily through their phones. And the thought of “I’ll just Auto-tune it” may
cause significant hardship in the road of vocal training which can be pretty
long and hard for many.
It seems
like more difficult days are upon us; voice teachers…
On the
other hand,
We have
been living in a society where the Music and the Video cannot be separated from
time to time. The Video problem isn’t new; it has been going on for a long
time. We have to go through great lengths so that the ‘right’ kind of video can
be created. This is a real deep subject that we take for granted and it has to
be discussed way more. Then there is the ‘Image’ problem which seems to be worse
than ever. We have to share ‘stories’ on our social media platforms and that’s how
we shall keep our fan base alive…
“Thou shall
share regularly”,
…the
Instagram Gods have spoken. Since we are the “Perfect Meta” under the image of ‘higher
artists’. That’s what is expected from us, what we have to, a must (!) with
everything we publish and share.
For
everyone’s digital/virtual satisfaction…
-
In the
light of all of these events however; I am one of those who believe that the
more life gets automated and digital, the more the arts will have effect and take place in our
lives.
Because art / music is an anti-stance; it is -by nature- against the feeling which tells us that ‘every day is the same”.
Art is productive. In other words; it re-creates
the meaning which was lost by the machine living. What I mean by that is the
Meaning of Life; which seems random – and maybe it is random - unless we’re
close to it.
As far as
to make us forget that we are still, mere mortals.
Maybe; the
poet had meant just that when he said: “to live as though we’ll never die.” **
-
This concept
is a way of life for us; it is the focal point of an artist’s life (at least
mine anyway :). And of course today’s technology is changing our rehearsal space
as well; while it reshapes our production ways.
5G
technology will soon enable us to reach more people as the concerts we’re
performing as a group will be possible to have without even getting out of our
homes; all the while drawing us further from our own Nature. Music lessons are,
currently, can be given via online even though it’s still pretty sloppy. And
even though I’m not a fan of giving online lessons; even the most offline teachers had to learn it somehow. Be that as it may; the teacher and the
student struggled and succeeded to reach each other. It would be near
impossible to do this (maybe), without these advances in communication of today.
I guess
these days, I have been observing the good and the bad at the same time. Alas,
to find a solution anyhow, the situation has to be defined in best terms.
Long story
short; what do these advances multiply?
Simply?
The digitalization
of human interaction and…
In private;
The
Loneliness of the Musician…
Us; the
ones who have to practice 6 days a week, all on our own… This rehearsal space
is no stranger to the beginners, right? And professional performers spend
thousands of hours in their life time; in complete isolation. This space can
make us feel like we’re flying on the high tides of Music, sometimes it does feel
like a wonderful solitude, away from other people. Sometimes it feels like we
are one with the Earth and Universe and sometimes it might just feel like
complete rock-bottom; “the physically lonely rehearsals”.
Who knows,
maybe Life was preparing us to these difficult days…
-
Even though
Covid-19 might turn into a common disease like the flu, we are now in the point
of no return.
Concerts.
Are they on
the way of getting trapped by the most advanced 'Online Venues'?
Then where
to look for the solution?
-
Against
this fast-paced progression of the music industry, I have been supporting the
idea of increasing acoustic performances as opposed to ‘digital sounds’. It
might sound impossible or meaningless to some or many. But I believe we need
the Acoustic Musics; we need the ‘organic’ sounds now, more than ever. And I
have to thank Victor Wooten for opening my eyes on the subject once again with
his new book: Spirit of Music (just purchase if you haven’t already, it really
is a beautiful and sometimes scary journey)
We need to
remember how much our human nature is dependent on the outside world. And remember
(Now, how to state this properly?): How it is inseparable from our Green Earth.
We need the Sounds that remind us of Nature, now more than ever.
What I have
just written has nothing to do with me being against digital sounds. I felt the
urge to write these because we are being exposed to them way too much. It’s
more like a counter need, really. And of course without forgetting that we are
still under a pandemic reality; I’m not sure if I should remind you that these
events must be performed under properly regulated health conditions,
rightly. I hope I can bring more detailed suggestions in my next article.
I’m trying
to work under these ideas, this ‘train of thought’ on my own.
It is a
time when I feel a bit less strong but who knows what tomorrow will bring?
-
Are we
destined to see more lonely days?
I have no
further comment.
For now.
Stay
healthy, stay with Love.
D.
* Stanislavski,
C. “An Actor Prepares”. 1938.
** Hikmet, N. “On Living”. 1946. translated by the author
